Sink strainer



June 16, 1959 S. A. YOUNG SINK STRAINER Filed July 11, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

Patented June 16, 1 959 SINK STRAINER Stephen A. Young, Delphi, Ind.

Application July 11, 1951, Serial No. 236,190

Claims. (Cl. 4-287) This invention relates to sink strainers, and more par ticularly to the type of sink strainer, adapted for use with kitchen sinks or the like.

Strainers of the class to which this invention isv directed, generally include therein a substantially large body portion, in which is seated what is called a crumb cup. Furthermore these strainers are usually provided with valve means, adapted to be opened and closed as desired, to permit draining and filling of the sink. Heretofore strainers of this class have been provided with valve means, which depend upon the weight thereof to maintain the same in closed position, and additionally require considerable manipulation to position the valve means thereof so as to remain in open position when it is desired to drain the sink. 1

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a sink strainer of the class described, in which a valve member is provided, the same being so constructed and arranged that positive opening and closing of the valve means therein is provided. Furthermore the construction herein contemplated is adapted for use with strainers of largely conventional construction and does not require complete reconstruction of the strainer itself.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sink strainer wherein quick opening movement may be efiected for draining the sink and conversely a quick closing movement may likewise be effected.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sink strainer of the class described, wherein the crumb cup in conjunction with the valve member acts as a guide means for a portion of the valve member during the opening and closing operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a strainer of the type referred to, wherein a threaded stem is provided, the same having a valve disc thereon, which valve disc is adapted to seat and close the drain opening in the strainer uponslight rotational movement of the stem, and conversely, opening movement may be efiected equally quickly.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a sink strainer wherein positive opening and closing of the valve means therein is effected, by means of a threaded stem upon which a valve member is supported, and the threaded stem of the valve means is so arranged as to afford a quick opening and closing action of the valve member.

Other and further objects of this invention will be set forth in the specification and illustrated in the drawings wherein: v

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the strainer of my invention, disclosing the same as being mounted upon a sink or the like, certain of the parts being illustrated in full lines, and thegeneral arrangement of the strainer being disclosed.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the strainer mounted in a sink or the like, disclosing the operating means for. the valve means, and the basket strainer or crumb cup provided therefor.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view partly in section, il-

lustrating a portion of the valve means in raised position together with the co-mating section thereof, when the valves closing member is in raised position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken about on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, illustrating the location of a portion of the valve means, and the openings in the sink strainer itself. I

Referring now to Figure 1 there is illustrated a sink strainer generally designated 1, comprising a substantially cylindrical body member 2, at the upper end of which and'integral therewith is formed a flange 3, extending at right angles to the body portion 2, the same being provided with a tapered section 4 in conformance with generally conventional construction. At the lower end ofthe body portion 2, the same tapers inwardly as at 5,

- so as to provide a reduced section '6 designated as the outlet or waste portion of the strainer.

' The strainer as a Whole, is maintained in position in the sink outlet, the sink being designated 7, by means of a lock-nut 8 having threaded engagement with the threads 9 of the body portion 2. A suitable rubber or other washer 10 is provided and usually a metal Washer 11 is furnished interposed between the lock-nut 8 and the washer 10, in accordance with conventional arrangement to; maintaining the strainer in position in the outlet opening of the sink 7.

The waste or outlet portion 6 of the strainer 1 is provided with threads12 on the exterior thereof, whereby the tail piece 13 may be maintained in alignment and in sealing engagement with the outlet opening of the strainer by means of the usual slip nut 14, the latter having a rubber washer 15 carried thereby for maintaining the said tail piece 13 in sealing engagement with the outlet opening. The construction thus far described is largely conventional, only generally varying with respect to dimensions and proportion in accordance with requirements of various types of sinks.

Supported within the body portion 2 of the sink strainer, is a crumb cup designated 16, the same being-substantially cylindrical and supported at its upper open end by means of a flange 17, the same being supported upon It is a still further object of this invention to provide a corresponding shoulder 18 formed in the body 2, near the juncture of the flange 3 with the body 2. The crumb cup 16 is closed at the bottom thereof by a member 19, the latter including at its central portion a shoulder designated 20. The shoulder 20 is further adapted to provide guide means for purposes which will be hereinafter set forth. The crumb cup 16 is provided with the usual plurality of openings 21 therein, whereby water may drain through the crumb cup, but the same will retain particles of food and the like and prevent those particles from passing into the Waste line tothereby clog or restrict the same.

At the outlet end 6 of the strainer, the latter is provided with a threaded bushing designated 21, the same being either integral with or supported on and fastened to suitable arms or spokes 22, the same being mounted substantially centrally of the waste opening for purposes which will be hereinafter explained.

At the lower end of the tapered portion of the strainer and interiorallyrthereof is provideda seat section 23, adapted to co-act with a valve member 24, thelatter being of round configuration and having a cooperating tapered section 25 at its periphery for sea-ling engagement with the seat portion 23 of the tapered portion The valve member 24 is engaged with a stem designated 26, the said stem being comprised of a handle and operating section 27 and a threaded portion 28, the threaded portion 28 being adapted to coact with the bushing 21 withfthe outlet for waste opening 6 in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

The threaded or lift portion of the stem 26 includes a threaded section 29 thereon (see Figure 3) which threaded section 29 is adapted to threadedly engage comating section of the portion 27 of the stem and when in engagementwith said section, maintain the valve member 24 when the latter has been emplaced over the threaded portion 29 in position between the respective sections 27 and 28.

It will be apparent that the guide section 27 is adapted to be entered into the guide bushing 20 of the crumb cup .16, the guide section further being provided with a suitable broached end 30, which broached end 30 is adapted ,to engage with a corresponding opening in a handle 31. The handle 31 is maintained on the broached end 30 by means of a suitable screw 32.

Byway of further explanation, it should be noted that the threaded section 28 is provided with a suitable fast operating thread such as a double or triple Acme thread and is further provided at the lower ends thereof with a tapered portion 33. It is of course obvious that the bushing member 21 is provided with a corresponding thread for engagement with the threaded section 28, and the bushing is -likewise provided at its upper end with a tapered portion 34 for purposes which will be hereinafter set, forth.

In View of the foregoing description, the operation of "the device isapparent, but by way of further simple description, reference will be had to Figure 2, in conjunction with the explanation of Figure 1 heretofore set forth.

In view of the fact that the threads in the respective portion 28 and guide bushing 21 are preferably right hand threads, it will be apparent that rotation of the handle 31 in the direction of the arrow 35, will cause the valve member 24 to rise from its seated position as shown in Figure l, to a position such as is illustrated in Figure 3. This action is preferably obtained in as short a rotational movement of the handle member 31 as is feasible, so as to prevent the handle member 31 from rising above the top or flange portion 3 of the strainer 1, so as not to be in position to interfere with the use of the sinkin accordance with the usual practice. Furthermore the length of the threads on the threaded portion 28 and the height of the bushing 21 are calculated so as to prevent abutment 'of the upper portion of the valve member 24 with the lower side or bottom of the crumb cup 16, in order to prevent the'crumb cup from being raised and permit food particles to enter the waste lineand be drained thereinto.

The tapered portions '33 and 34 previously mentioned, are provided so as to permit continued rotation of the handle 31 in the direction of the arrow 35 when the valve member24 is in its opened position without raising or lifting the crumb cup 16 as hereinabove discussed. It

will also be apparent that rotation of the handle 31 in a direction of the arrow 36, or opposite that of the arrow 35, will cause the valve member 24 to move into the position shown in full line in Figure 1, and effectively and positively close the waste or outlet opening of the strainer, and thereby maintain the sink in its filled position when desired. It is clear from the foregoing that the valve unit together with the crumb cup and guide provided therein may be removed from the strainer, when it is desired to clean the said crumb cup, in accordance with usually desired construction.

in view of the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there is provided by my invention, a positive operating valve unit for incorporation into a sink strainer of generally conventional construction, and furthermore one which may be simply operated and is certain to be open or closed in accordance with requirements of the user of the sink with which the strainer is associated, and furthermore, the construction of the device is of simple nature with few operating parts, whereby all of the attributes of the usual sink strainer are provided, but in addition, those of positive opening and closing are furthermore acompli shed.

Having thus disclosed and described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. In a sink strainer, in combination, a hollow body portion having an outlet portion at its lower end, said outlet portion having a valve seat thereon, a crumb cup the bottom of which is apertured for liquid drainage dis- 7 posedwithi'n said hollow body, said bottom of the crumb cup having a vertically elongated valve stem guide membercentrally thereon, a valve stem separate from the crumb cup guidingly mounted in said guide member to move up and down in the latter, a valve member fixed to the stem below the bottom of the crumb cup, a handle on the upper end of the stem for rotating the latter in opposite directions, said stern having a screw thread portion on its lower end below the valve carried thereby, and the hollow body portion being provided on its lower -end outlet portion centrally thereof with an internally threaded bushing in which the screw thread portion of the stem is received, whereby on turning the stem in one direction the valve will be raised off said seat, and on turning the stem in an opposite direction the valve will move downwardly against said seat.

2. A sink straineras claimed in claim 1 in which the threads of the screw thread portion of the stem and the threaded bushing are plural and of fast operating pitch to compel quick rising and lowering movements of the valve incident to quick opposite rotative movements of the stem.

3. A sink strainer as claimed in claim 1 in which the threads of the screw thread portion of the stem and the threaded bushing are plural and of fast operating pitch to compel quick rising'and lowering movements of the valve incident to quick opposite rotative movements of the stem and in which the threaded portions of the stern and bushing are of a length such that the valve when fully raised from its seat on the outlet portion of the body portion is spaced from the apertured bottom of the crumb cup.

4. A sink strainer as claimed in claim 1 in which the internally threaded bushing is carried by spaced arms on the'lower extremity of the said outlet portion, and in t which the valve stem is formed in two parts, namely a References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Dickinson ..r June 26, 1900 Rom July 9, 1929 Schultis June 20, 1939 Frances Dec. 24, 1940 Gleason Mar. 14, 1950 

